Capsicum annuum is a species of the plant genus Capsicum native to southern North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.[2][5] This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums. The species encompasses a wide variety of shapes and sizes of peppers, including sweet bell peppers and some chili pepper varieties such as jalapeños, New Mexico chile, and cayenne peppers, all of which are nightshades. Cultivars descended from the wild American bird pepper are still found in warmer regions of the Americas.[6] In the past, some woody forms of this species have been called C. frutescens, but the features that were used to distinguish those forms appear in many populations of C. annuum and are not consistently recognizable features in C. frutescens species.[7]
Capsicum annuum is a herb or small shrub growing to a height between 0.3 to 1.2 metres (1–4 feet) and a width of 15 to 30 cm (6–12 inches). It has roughly oval glossy leaves with smooth margins reaching up to 7.5 cm (3 inches) in length. In some cultivars leaves turn dark purple or black.[8]
Flowers are star or bell-shaped with 4–5 petals which can be white, green, or purple in colour. Its fruit is a true berry coming in a variety of shapes, sizes, pungency, and sweetness. Depending on cultivar, fruit may be green, red, yellow, orange, or black, with many changing colour as they mature.[9]
Pollination
While generally self-pollinating, insect visitation is known to increase the fruit size and speed of ripening, as well as to ensure symmetrical development. Pepper flowers have nectaries at the base of the corolla, which helps to attract pollinators. The anthers do not release pollen except via buzz pollination, such as provided by bumble bees.[10]
Name
The genus name Capsicum derives from a Greek-based derivative of the Latin word ‘kapto’, meaning ‘to bite’, in reference to the heat or pungency of the species’ fruit, although it has also been speculated to derive from the Latin word ‘capsa’, a box, referring to the shape of the fruit in forms of the typical species.[11] Although the species name annuum means 'annual' (from the Latinannus "year"), the plant is not an annual but is frost tender.[12] In the absence of winter frosts it can survive several seasons and grow into a large, shrubby perennial herb.[13]
Common names including the word "pepper" stem from a misconception on the part of Europeans taking part in the Columbian exchange. They mistakingly thought the spicy fruits were a variety of the black pepper plant which also has spicy fruit. However, these two plants are not closely related.[14]
Commonly used names for the fruit of Capsicum annuum in English varies by location and cultivar. The larger, sweeter cultivars are called "capsicum" in Australia and New Zealand.[15] In Great Britain and Ireland cultivars of the plant are typically discussed in groups of either “sweet” or “hot/chilli” peppers, only rarely providing the specific cultivar.[16] In Canada or the US it is commonplace to provide the cultivar in most instances, for example "bell", "jalapeño", "cayenne", or "bird's eye" peppers, to convey differences in taste including sweetness or pungency.[17]
Uses
Culinary
Five colors of peppers in an Israeli supermarket
The species is a source of popular sweet peppers and hot chilis with numerous varieties cultivated all around the world, and is the source of popular spices such as cayenne, chili, and paprika powders, as well as pimiento (pimento).
Capsinoid chemicals provide the distinctive tastes in C. annuum variants. In particular, capsaicin creates a burning sensation ("hotness"), which in extreme cases can last for several hours after ingestion. A measurement called the Scoville scale has been created to describe the hotness of peppers and other foods.
It is employed in medicine, in combination with Cinchona in intermittent and lethargic affections, and also in atonic gout, dyspepsia accompanied by flatulence, tympanitis, paralysis etc. Its most valuable application appears however to be in cynanche maligna (acute diphtheria) and scarlatina maligna (malignant Scarlet fever, used either as a gargle or administered internally.)
Some cultivars grown specifically for their aesthetic value include the U.S. National Arboretum's 'Black Pearl'[20] and the 'Bolivian Rainbow'. Ornamental varieties tend to have unusually colored fruit and foliage with colors such as black and purple being notable. All are edible, and most (like 'Royal Black') are hot.
Pests
The potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella) is an oligophagous insect that prefers to feed on plants of the family Solanaceae such as pepper plants. Female P. operculella use the leaves to lay their eggs, and the hatched larvae eat away at the mesophyll of the leaf.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Capsicum annuum.
Wikispecies has information related to Capsicum annuum.
^Aguilar-Meléndez, A., Azurdia, C., Cerén-López, J., Menjívar, J. & Contreras, A. 2020. Capsicum annuum (amended version of 2019 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T100895534A172969027. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T100895534A172969027.en. Downloaded on 11 October 2021.
^Minguez Mosquera M. I., Hornero Mendez D. (1994). "Comparative study of the effect of paprika processing on the carotenoids in peppers (Capsicum annuum) of the Bola and Agridulce varieties". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 42 (7): 1555–1560. doi:10.1021/jf00043a031.
^"Capsicum annuum "Black Pearl"" (PDF). U.S. National Arboretum. March 2006. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
Further reading
Malgorzata, Materska (March 2015). "Flavone C-glycosides from Capsicum annuum L.: relationships between antioxidant activity and lipophilicity". European Food Research and Technology. 240 (3): 549–557. doi:10.1007/s00217-014-2353-2.
Arimboor, Ranjith; Natarajan, Ramesh Babu; Menon, K. Ramakrishna; Chandrasekhar, Lekshmi. P; Moorkoth, Vidya (March 2015). "Red pepper (Capsicum annuum) carotenoids as a source of natural food colors: analysis and stability-a review". Journal of Food Science and Technology. 52 (3): 1258–1271. doi:10.1007/s13197-014-1260-7. PMC4348314. PMID 25745195.
capsicum, annuum, species, plant, genus, capsicum, native, southern, north, america, caribbean, northern, south, america, this, species, most, common, extensively, cultivated, five, domesticated, capsicums, species, encompasses, wide, variety, shapes, sizes, p. Capsicum annuum is a species of the plant genus Capsicum native to southern North America the Caribbean and northern South America 2 5 This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums The species encompasses a wide variety of shapes and sizes of peppers including sweet bell peppers and some chili pepper varieties such as jalapenos New Mexico chile and cayenne peppers all of which are nightshades Cultivars descended from the wild American bird pepper are still found in warmer regions of the Americas 6 In the past some woody forms of this species have been called C frutescens but the features that were used to distinguish those forms appear in many populations of C annuum and are not consistently recognizable features in C frutescens species 7 Capsicum annuumConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade AsteridsOrder SolanalesFamily SolanaceaeGenus CapsicumSpecies C annuumBinomial nameCapsicum annuumL Varieties and GroupsC annuum var annuum C annuum var glabriusculum 2 C annuum var grossum C annuum var longum C annuum var longum grossum C annuum var lycopersiciforme rubrum Capsicum annuum var bola aka var nora 3 Capsicum annuum New Mexico Group Synonyms 4 Capsicum abyssinicum A Rich Capsicum angulosum Mill Capsicum axi Vell Capsicum bauhinii Dunal Capsicum caerulescens Besser Capsicum cerasiforme Mill Capsicum ceratocarpum Fingerh Capsicum cereolum Bertol Capsicum comarim Vell Capsicum conicum Lam Capsicum conoide Mill Capsicum conoides Roem amp Schult Capsicum conoideum Mill Capsicum cordiforme Mill Capsicum crispum Dunal Capsicum cydoniforme Roem amp Schult Capsicum dulce Dunal Capsicum fasciculatum Sturtev Capsicum fastigiatum Blume Capsicum frutescens L Capsicum globiferum G Mey Capsicum globosum Besser Capsicum grossum L Capsicum indicum auct Capsicum longum DC Capsicum milleri Roem amp Schult Capsicum minimum Mill Capsicum odoratum Steud Capsicum odoriferum Vell Capsicum oliviforme Mill Capsicum ovatum DC Capsicum petenense Standl Capsicum pomiferum Mart ex Steud Capsicum purpureum Vahl ex Hornem Capsicum pyramidale Mill Capsicum quitense Willd ex Roem amp Schult Capsicum silvestre Vell Capsicum sphaerium Willd Capsicum tetragonum Mill Capsicum tomatiforme Fingerh ex Steud Capsicum torulosum Hornem Capsicum tournefortii Besser Capsicum ustulatum Paxton Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Pollination 3 Name 4 Uses 4 1 Culinary 4 2 Traditional medicine 4 3 Ornamental 5 Pests 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksCharacteristics EditCapsicum annuum is a herb or small shrub growing to a height between 0 3 to 1 2 metres 1 4 feet and a width of 15 to 30 cm 6 12 inches It has roughly oval glossy leaves with smooth margins reaching up to 7 5 cm 3 inches in length In some cultivars leaves turn dark purple or black 8 Flowers are star or bell shaped with 4 5 petals which can be white green or purple in colour Its fruit is a true berry coming in a variety of shapes sizes pungency and sweetness Depending on cultivar fruit may be green red yellow orange or black with many changing colour as they mature 9 Pollination EditWhile generally self pollinating insect visitation is known to increase the fruit size and speed of ripening as well as to ensure symmetrical development Pepper flowers have nectaries at the base of the corolla which helps to attract pollinators The anthers do not release pollen except via buzz pollination such as provided by bumble bees 10 Name EditThe genus name Capsicum derives from a Greek based derivative of the Latin word kapto meaning to bite in reference to the heat or pungency of the species fruit although it has also been speculated to derive from the Latin word capsa a box referring to the shape of the fruit in forms of the typical species 11 Although the species name annuum means annual from the Latin annus year the plant is not an annual but is frost tender 12 In the absence of winter frosts it can survive several seasons and grow into a large shrubby perennial herb 13 Common names including the word pepper stem from a misconception on the part of Europeans taking part in the Columbian exchange They mistakingly thought the spicy fruits were a variety of the black pepper plant which also has spicy fruit However these two plants are not closely related 14 Commonly used names for the fruit of Capsicum annuum in English varies by location and cultivar The larger sweeter cultivars are called capsicum in Australia and New Zealand 15 In Great Britain and Ireland cultivars of the plant are typically discussed in groups of either sweet or hot chilli peppers only rarely providing the specific cultivar 16 In Canada or the US it is commonplace to provide the cultivar in most instances for example bell jalapeno cayenne or bird s eye peppers to convey differences in taste including sweetness or pungency 17 Uses EditCulinary Edit Five colors of peppers in an Israeli supermarketThe species is a source of popular sweet peppers and hot chilis with numerous varieties cultivated all around the world and is the source of popular spices such as cayenne chili and paprika powders as well as pimiento pimento Capsinoid chemicals provide the distinctive tastes in C annuum variants In particular capsaicin creates a burning sensation hotness which in extreme cases can last for several hours after ingestion A measurement called the Scoville scale has been created to describe the hotness of peppers and other foods Traditional medicine Edit Hot peppers are used in traditional medicine as well as food in Africa 18 English botanist John Lindley described C annuum in his 1838 Flora Medica thus 19 It is employed in medicine in combination with Cinchona in intermittent and lethargic affections and also in atonic gout dyspepsia accompanied by flatulence tympanitis paralysis etc Its most valuable application appears however to be in cynanche maligna acute diphtheria and scarlatina maligna malignant Scarlet fever used either as a gargle or administered internally In Ayurveda C annuum is classified as follows citation needed Guna properties ruksha dry laghu light and tikshna sharp Rasa taste katu pungent Virya potency ushna hot Ornamental Edit Some cultivars grown specifically for their aesthetic value include the U S National Arboretum s Black Pearl 20 and the Bolivian Rainbow Ornamental varieties tend to have unusually colored fruit and foliage with colors such as black and purple being notable All are edible and most like Royal Black are hot Pests EditThe potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella is an oligophagous insect that prefers to feed on plants of the family Solanaceae such as pepper plants Female P operculella use the leaves to lay their eggs and the hatched larvae eat away at the mesophyll of the leaf Gallery Edit Capsicum annuum L var fasciculatum Irish Capsicum annuum L var fasciculatum Irish Dried Capsicum annuum Red chili pepper Capsicum annuum cultivars Dried Guajillo chile pod Typical Capsicum annuum flower Royal Embers Bolivian Rainbow with its fruits in different stages of ripeness Capsicum annuum var bola or nora Capsicum annuum Count Dracula Dried Capsicum annuum Red chili pepper on Nanglo Dried Capsicum annuum Red chili pepper NuMex Memorial Day Capsicum annuum Explosive Embers Chili pepper subicho seeds for planting Bell pepper in Eastern SiberiaSee also EditList of Capsicum cultivars Paprika Chili pepperReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Capsicum annuum Wikispecies has information related to Capsicum annuum Aguilar Melendez A Azurdia C Ceren Lopez J Menjivar J amp Contreras A 2020 Capsicum annuum amended version of 2019 assessment The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T100895534A172969027 https dx doi org 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 2 RLTS T100895534A172969027 en Downloaded on 11 October 2021 a b Capsicum annuum Germplasm Resources Information Network Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture Retrieved 2010 07 29 Minguez Mosquera M I Hornero Mendez D 1994 Comparative study of the effect of paprika processing on the carotenoids in peppers Capsicum annuum of the Bola and Agridulce varieties Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 42 7 1555 1560 doi 10 1021 jf00043a031 The Plant List Latham Elizabeth 2009 02 03 The colourful world of chillies Stuff co nz Retrieved 2009 03 08 Francis John K 2003 09 09 Capsicum annuum L bird pepper USDA Forest Service PDF Retrieved 2013 09 30 Zhi Yun Zhang Anmin Lu amp William G D Arcy Capsicum annuum Linnaeus Sp Pl 1 188 1753 Flora of China Vol 17 p 313 Capsicum annuum Description Uses Varieties Family amp Facts Britannica Capsicum annuum Description Uses Varieties Family amp Facts Britannica Capsicum pollination Capsicum annuum bell pepper Cabi Compendium CABI Compendium 2022 doi 10 1079 cabicompendium 15784 S2CID 253616052 Peppers and chillies Royal Horticultural Society Retrieved 21 Dec 2017 Katzer Gernot May 27 2008 Paprika Capsicum annuum L Retrieved December 1 2012 Capsicum annuum Britannica Encyclopedia Britannica 28 May 2023 Expat baffled by common Aussie supermarket item news com au OxfordDictionaries com s v Bell and Chili Peppers Agricultural Marketing Resource Center US Department of Agriculture 22 May 2023 Retrieved 1 October 2021 Grubben G J H amp Denton O A 2004 Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2 Vegetables PROTA Foundation Wageningen Backhuys Leiden CTA Wageningen Lindley John 1838 Flora Medica page 509 Capsicum annuum Black Pearl PDF U S National Arboretum March 2006 Retrieved February 21 2011 Further reading EditMalgorzata Materska March 2015 Flavone C glycosides from Capsicum annuum L relationships between antioxidant activity and lipophilicity European Food Research and Technology 240 3 549 557 doi 10 1007 s00217 014 2353 2 Arimboor Ranjith Natarajan Ramesh Babu Menon K Ramakrishna Chandrasekhar Lekshmi P Moorkoth Vidya March 2015 Red pepper Capsicum annuum carotenoids as a source of natural food colors analysis and stability a review Journal of Food Science and Technology 52 3 1258 1271 doi 10 1007 s13197 014 1260 7 PMC 4348314 PMID 25745195 External links EditCapsicum annuum in the CalPhotos photo database University of California Berkeley Capsicum annuum Calflora Berkeley California The Calflora Database Capsicum annuum Plants for a Future Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Capsicum annuum amp oldid 1167592484, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
